Counter resetting means



May 27, 1958 o. WILD, JR 2,336,363

COUNTER RESETTING MEANS Filed Jan. 19, 1955 2 Shee ts-Sheet l INVENTOR 72 orro W/L JR MW ATTORNEYS May 27, 1958 o. WlLD, JR 2,836,363

COUNTER RESETIING MEANS Filed Jan. 19, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F/GS INVENTOR 0 77'0 W/LD, JR.

BY I

ATTORNEYS United States Patent COUNTER RESETTING MEANS Otto Wild, Jr., West Hartford, Conn., assignor to Veeder- Root Incorporated, Hartford, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application January 19, 1955, Serial No. 482,695

12 Claims. (Cl. 235-144) The present invention relates generally to registers or counters and relates more particularly to a spring actuated resetting means for a register or counter.

In a resetting mechanism of the type to which the present invention is applied, the resetting force is provided by a spring in which energy is stored manually by the operator, the spring being loaded in an operation occurring prior to and spaced in time from the actual resetting operation. When the register or counter is installed in a dispensing apparatus such as a gasoline dispensing mechanism, the manual storage of energy in the spring preferably is accomplished concomitantly with some other operation required of the operator, such as actuation of the pump motor switch. In essence, the resetting means of the type referred to must provide for transfer of energy from a handle or other actuator manipulated by the operator to the spring during the spring loading operation and for transfer of energy from the spring to the reset shaft of the register during the resetting operation.

The aim of the present invention is to provide improved means for effecting the transfer of energy from the actuating handle to the spring and from the spring to a reset shaft whereby the necessary connection and disconnection of the moving parts will occur in precised timed relationship. included in this aim is the provision of an interlock arrangement for insuring proper coordination of the operating parts in varying installations and under varying operating conditions.

Other objects will be in part obvious, and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view of the resetting mechanism mounted on the side plate of a register frame and with the moving parts in the position which they assume at the end of a resetting operation;

Figure 2 is a similar but fragmentary view showing the parts in the position at the beginning of the spring loading operation; I

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 with the parts in the position which they assume at the end of the spring loading operation;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of certain of the operating parts shown in the same position as in Figure 2 and with some of the parts cutaway to show certain of the details of construction; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary enlarged side view showing details of the latch arm in pawl holding position.

. Referring to the drawings, the plate 10 is the side plate of the frame of an exemplary counter or register which ice is included to illustrate the mounting of the resetting mechanism. The details of the counter or register are not shown since such details do not form any part of the present invention. The usual counter is provided with a rotatable resetting member which can be turned.

to reset the number wheels of the counter to zero. In the register or counter illusrated in the drawings, a rotatable resetting member is provided in the form of a main resetting gear 12 which is rotatably mounted on a center shaft 14 of the counter or register and which meshes with pinions 16 and 18, which are fixed to the reset shafts 20 and 22, respectively. The relationship of the gear 12 and pinions 16, 18 is best shown in Figure 4 of the drawings. in the specific embodiment illustrated, the register or counter may be completely reset by rotating the main resetting gear 12 in a clockwise direction as viewed in the drawings through an angle of approximately 60". To facilitate turning of the main resetting gear 12 to cause resetting of the register or counter, there is fixed to the gear 12 a notched disc 24 which in the specific embodiment is made integral with the resetting gear 12 for convenience and economy of fabrication and assembly.

The center shaft 14 has a coupling 30 on its outer end by means of which there may be connected any suitable manual actuating member such as a lever, operating handle, crank, etc. (not shown). Fixed to the coupling 30 and rotatable therewith is a drive plate 32 by means of which the manual force applied to the coupling by the operator is transferred to the resetting mechanism. in the operation of the resetting mechanism, it is contemplated that the operator will oscillate the coupling 30 and hence the drive plate 32 between the two rotated positions shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, this being an angle of movement of slightly more than 60 such as, for example 70.

In the position of the parts shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, the drive plate 32 becomes connected to a control plate 34 which is rotatably supported by hub 36 on the center shaft 14 immediately behind the drive plate 32. The interconnection of the drive plate 32 and control plate 34 is effected by means of a pawl 38 which is pivotally mounted at 40 on the control plate 34, and which is urged in a clockwise direction by means of spring 42. When the two plates are in the position shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, the nose of the pawl 33 will engage a shoulder 44 on the drive plate 32, whereby when the drive plate 32 is turned in a counterclockwise direction through manual actuation by the operator to the position shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, it will carry along with it the control plate 34.

The turning of the control plate 34 from the position shown in Figure 2 to the position shown in Figure 3 loads the reset spring 46, which is anchored at 48 on the frame 10 of the counter and which is connected to an ear 50 on the control plate 34. When the drive plate 32 and control plate 34 are rotated to the position shown in Figure 3, which will be referred to hereinafter as the spring-loaded position or cocked position, the plates are prevented from rotating backwardly by means of a latching pawl 52 which is pivotally mounted on a stud 54 extending from the frame 10 and which is urged in a counterclockwise direction by spring 56. The pawl 52 is adapted to engage in the notch 58 of the drive plate 32, which holds the drive plate 32 in rotated position, and the drive plate 32 in turn holds the control plate 34 in cocked position by reason of the drive pawl 38. A second notch 60 is provided in the drive plate 32 as a protective measure to hold the drive plate 32 in the event the operator does not turn the manual operating member sufficiently to permit the latching pawl 52 to engage the notch 58. This is important in the event that the operating handle is utilized to serve the dual function of loading the reset mechanism and actuating the controls of an associated mechanism such as the pump motor switch of a gasoline dispensing apparatus. The aim is to prevent the operator from actuating the motor switch or other control without at the same time latching the drive plate 32. V i

To reset the register or computer, the control plate 34 is released from the drive plate 32 by disengaging the pawl 3850 that the control plate 34 will be returned to original position under the influence of the reset spring 46, the speed of the return movement being controlled by a dashpot 62 extending between the frame and the control plate 34. During'the return movement of the control plate 34 to original position, it operates to turn the notched disc 24 and hence the main reset gear 12 by means of a second drive pawl 64 which is pivotally mounted on the control plate 34 at .66 and which is biased in a clockwise direction by means of spring 68. The nose of the pawl 64 has an arcuate lip 70 which will cause the pawl 64 to ratchet over the notched disc 24 as the control plate 34 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction to the cocked position and then will engage in the preceding notch of the notched disc 24 to permit the control plate 34 to drive the notched disc 24 during the return movement of the control plate 34. i

As previously mentioned, the counter or register is reset by moving the parts to the cocked position shown in Figure 3 of the drawings and then the pawl 38 is released topermit the control plate to return to the position shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, during which it turns the notched disc 24 and hence the resetting gear 12 to reset the register. As a convenient means for releasing the pawl 38, there is provided a lever arm 72 pivotally mounted on the stud 54 and provided with a coupling 74 by means of which it may be actuated by the operator. The free end of the lever arm 72 carries a pawl 76 which is pivoted for limited movement on the arm 72 and urged in a counterclockwise directionby spring 78. As will be apparent from an inspection of Figure 3 of the drawings, pivoting of the lever arm 72 in a clockwise direction will cause the nose of pawl 76 to engage the tail of flie pawl 38, thus disengaging the control plate 34 from the drive plate 32 and permitting the parts to return to the position shown in Figure 1 of the drawings. At the completion of the movement of the parts to the position shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, a promontory 80 on the control plate 34 engages a pin 82 on the latching pawl 52 and cams the latching pawl 52 to disengaging position as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. This frees the drive plate 32 for movement manually by the operator to the position shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, which will again interconnect the drive plate 32 and control plate 34. This movement, as previously pointed out, may

be eflfectively combined with the control of an associated mechanism such as actuation of the pump motor switch of a gasoline dispensing apparatus.

For completeness, it may be pointed out that the pawl 84 is a no-back pawl pivoted on the frame 10 and urged in a clockwise direction by spring 86. The pawl 84 has a nose 88 which will engage in one of the notches of the notched disc 24 to prevent any backward, i. efcounterclockwise, movement of the notched disc 24 such as the result of the friction of pawl 64 as it ratchets over the notched disc 24. The pawl 84 carries a pin 90 which is engaged by the promontory 80 when the parts are in the position shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, whereby the pawl 84 is cammed outwardly to disengaging position where it will not interfere with the desired resetting operation.

From the preceding description, it will be apparent that it is important to have engagement of the pawl 64 with one of the notches of the notched disc 24 occur simultaneously with the engagement of the latching pawl 52 with the notch 58 of the drive plate 32, this movement occurring when the parts reach the position shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. In the event that the pawl 64 should fall in a notch of the notched disc 24 while the latching pawl 52 is still out of latching engagement with notch 58, it is possible that the operator may discontinue the cocking movement of the parts and release the operating handle at that time, whereupon the entire mechanism would move in a direction to return to the position shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. Full return movement would be prevented by engagement of pawl 52 with the safety notch 60, but nonetheless this would be sufiicient return movement to cause partial resetting of the register and hence a change in the count registered. This would be particularly disadvantageous, for example, in a dispensing operation where resetting of the register or a change in the registered count is not desired until the transaction is completed. 0n the other hand, if the turning of the parts is sufiicient to cause engagement of the latching pawl 52 with notch 58 prior to the engagement of the pawl 64 with a notch of the notched disc 24, the operator may assume that the resetting mechanism has been properly conditioned for a resetting operation and neglect to turn the parts an additional amount required to cause engagement of the pawl 64. The result is that when the pawl 38 is subsequently released by operating the lever arm 72 to cause a resetting operation, the parts will return to the position shown in Figure 1 of the drawings but no resetting will occur because the control plate 34 did not have a driving connection with the notched disc 24.

Accordingly, there has been provided in accordance with the invention an interlocking arrangement between the pawls 64 and 52 whereby simultaneous engaging movement of the pawl is insured without at the same time interfering with the disengaging movement. This interlock is accomplished in the specific embodiment by means of a latch arm 92 which is swivelly mounted at its center on the hub of the notched disc 24 and which extends between the pawl 64 and pawl 52. The latch arm 92 is urged in a counterclockwise direction by means of a spiral spring 94 which is seated on an offset finger 96 of the latch arm 92. The finger 96 extends through an arcuate slot 98 in the control plate 34 in sliding engagement with one edge thereof, the spring 94 being disposed between the edge of the slot 98 and the offset of the finger 96. The adjacent outer end of the latch arm 92 has a rearwardly bent car 100 which is arranged to engage the end of pawl 64 and cooperate with a notch 102 therein. The arrangement is such that the car 100 normally engages the end of pawl 64 but when the pawl 64 is pivoted outwardly, which occurs when the control plate 34 is turned in a counterclockwise direction, the car 100 will fall into the notch 102 under the urging of spring 94, as illustrated in Figure 6 of the drawings, to retain the pawl 64 in disengaged position. The opposite end of the latch arm 92 has a cam surface 104 which is adapted to be engaged by the pin 82 of the latching pawl 52. The arrangement is such that when the parts have been moved to the position shown in Figure 3 sufficient to cause engagement of the latching pawl 52 with notch 58 the pin 82 of pawl 52 engages the cam surface 104 of latch arm 92, pivoting the latch arm in a clockwise direction sufficient to free the end 100 from the notch 102, thereby releasing the pawl 64 for engagement with the notch of the notched disc 24. As will be apparent, the parts are constructed so that there is ample clearance of the pawl 64 and the notches of notched disc 24 to insure that the pawl 64 will engage in a notch when released by the latch arm 92. This ample clearance of course cannot cause premature engagement of the pawl 64 because engagement cannot occur until the latching pawl 52 falls into proper position and disengages the latch arm 92.

It thus will be seen that there has been provided in accordance with the invention a simple interlock arrangement for insuring proper coordination of the operating parts of the resetting mechanism and providing for accurate simultaneous operation of the latching pawl 52 and drive pawl 64 without requiring precise tolerances which otherwise would be necessary to insure a foolproof operation.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely diiferent embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the language used in the following claims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

I claim:

1. In a resetting mechanism for counters, the combination comprising a control member, a reset spring connected to the control member, a manually operable actuating member for driving the control member in a spring loading direction, a latch pawl for holding the mechanism in spring loaded position, means for transferring movement from the control member to the reset means of a counter in a resetting direction including a drive pawl, and means interconnecting the pawls for simultaneous engaging movement.

2. In a resetting mechanism for counters, the combination comprising an operating member mounted for oscillating movement, a control member mounted for oscillating movement, a releasable connection between the operating member and control member, a driven member for connection to the resetting means of a counter, a driving pawl movable into driving engagement between the control member and driven member, a latching pawl movable into latching engagement with the operating member, and an interlock between the pawls for preventing independent engagement of the pawls.

3. In a resetting mechanism for counters, the combination comprising an operating member mounted for oscillating movement, a control member mounted for oscillating movement, a reset spring urging the control member in one direction, a releasable connection between the operating member and control member to drive the control member in the opposite direction to load the spring, a driven member for connection to the resetting means of a counter, a one-way driving pawl between the control member and driven member movable into driving engagement when the control member and operating member are moved a predetermined distance in said opposite direction, a latch pawl movable into latching engagement with the operating member when the operating member is moved a predetermined distance in said opposite direction, and a latch arm extending between the pawls for preventing independent movement of the pawls.

4. In a resetting mechanism for counters, the combination comprising an operating member mounted for oscillating movement, a control member mounted for oscillating movement, a reset spring urging the control member in one direction, a releasable connection between the operating member and control member to drive the control member in the opposite direction to load the spring, a driven member for connection to the resetting means of a counter, a one-way driving pawl between the control member and driven member movable into driving engagement when the control member and operating member are moved a predetermined distance insaid opposite direction, a latch pawl movable into latching engagement with the operating member when the operating member is moved a predetermined distance in said opposite direction, a latch for preventing engaging movement of one of the pawls, and means for releasing the latch during engaging movement of the second pawl.

5. In the mechanism set forth in claim 4, a latch in the form of an arm pivotally mounted on the control member and wherein the said means for releasing the latch includes a cam surface on the arm engageable by the second pawl.

6. In the mechanism set forth in claim 4, a latch comprising an arm pivotally mounted on the control memher having a lug engaging the nose of the driving pawl, the nose of the driving pawl having a notch for receiving the lug when the driving pawl is pivoted to disengaging position, a spring urging the arm toward the driving pawl, and an extension on the arm positioned in the path of movement of the latch pawl to trip the latch arm during latching movement of the latch pawl.

7. In a resetting mechanism for counters, the combination comprising a manually operable drive member mounted for oscillating movement, a control plate mounted for oscillating movement, a reset spring urging the control plate in one direction, a releasable connection between the control plate and drive member for driving the control plate in the opposite direction to load the spring, a driven plate for connection to the resetting means of a counter, a one-way drive between the control plate and driven plate including a pawl on one plate anda cooperating shoulder on the other plate movable into registry with the pawl when the control plate is in spring loaded position, a latch arm retaining the pawl out of engagement with the shoulder, and a latch pawl movable into position for retaining the drive member in spring loaded position and tripping the latch.

8. In a resetting mechanism for counters, the combination comprising a manually operable drive plate mounted for oscillating movement, a control plate mounted for oscillating movement, a reset spring urging the control plate in one direction, a releasable connection between the control plate and drive plate for driving the control plate in the opposite direction to load the spring, a latch pawl for latching the drive plate in spring loaded position, a notched driven plate for connection to the resetting means of a counter, a drive pawl on the control plate movable into registry with a notch of the driven plate when the control plate is in spring loaded position, and a swivelly mounted latch arm extending between the latch pawl and driven plate having a surface on one end for retaining one pawl in disengaged position and a surface on the other end for engagement by the other pawl to cam the latch arm to releasing position.

9. In a resetting mechanism for counters, the combination comprising a manually operable drive plate mounted for oscillating movement between a first and second position, a rotatable driven plate for connection to the reset means of a counter, a control plate between the drive plate and driven plate mounted for oscillating movement between said first and second position, a reset spring urging the control plate toward said first position, a drive pawl between the control plate and driven plate for driving the driven plate in a resetting direction as the control plate moves from second to first position, said drive pawl being pivoted for movement from driving position to disengaging position during return movement of the control plate to second position, a pivoted latch arm biased into position blocking movement of the drive pawl from disengaging position into driving position, a releasable connection between the drive plate and control plate for moving the control plate to said second position with the drive plate, and a latch pawl mounted for movement to simutaneously trip the latch arm and latch the drive plate in said second position.

10. In a resetting mechanism for counters, the combination comprising a manually operable drive plate mounted on a pivot for oscillating movement between a first and second position, a latch pawl engageable with the drive 3' plate to hold the drive plate in said second position, a control plate mounted for oscillating movement on said pivot, a releasable connection between the control plate and drive plate for moving the control plate to the said second position with the drive plate, a reset spring urg ing the control plate toward the first position, a ratchet plate for connection to the resetting means of the counter, a ratchet pawl mounted on the control plate for ratcheting over the ratchet plate during movement of the control plate to second position and for driving the ratchet plate during movement of the control plate to position, and a latch arm pivotally mounted on the control plate for retaining the ratchet pawl in inoperable position, said latch arm being located in the path of the latch pawl during movement of the latch pawl into latching engagement with the drive plate when the drive plate and control plate are in said second position, whereby the latch arm is pivoted to free the ratchet pawl for driving engagement with the ratchet plate.

11. in a resetting mechanism for counters, the combination comprising manually operable drive plate mounted for oscillating movement, a control plate mounted for oscillating movement, a reset spring urging the control plate in one direction, a releasable connection between the control plate and drive plate for driving the control plate in the opposite direction to load the spring, a latch pawl for latching the drive plate in spring loaded position, a notched driven plate for connection to the resetting means of a counter, a drive pawl on the control plate movable into registry with a notch of the driven plate when the control plate is in spring loaded position, a latch arm pivotally mounted on the control plate having one surface movable into latching position for preventing engagement of the drive pawl with a notch of the driven plate and having a second surface engageable by the latch pawl to cause the arm to be cammed to unlatching position, and a spring between the latch arm and control plate urging the arm into latching position.

'12. In a resetting mechanism for counters, the combination comprising a manually operable drive plate mounted on a pivot for oscillating movement between a first and second position, a latch pawl engageable with the drive plate to hold the drive plate in said second position, a control plate mounted for oscillating movement on said pivot, a releasable connection between the control plate and drive plate for moving the control plate to the said second position with the drive plate, a reset spring urging the control plate toward the first position, a notched disc for connection to the resetting means of the counter, a ratchet pawl mounted on the control plate for engaging a notch of the notched disc when the control plate is in said second position and for moving the notched disc with the control plate when the control plate returns to said first position, said ratchet pawl having a notch in its nose portion, a latch arm mounted for oscillating movement on said pivot having an ear engaging the nose of the ratchet pawl and receivable in the notch therein when the ratchet pawl is moved to disengaging position, and a spring between the latch arm and control plate urging the latch arm toward the ratchet pawl, the end of the latch arm opposite from said ear being located for engagement by the latch pawl during movement of the latch pawl into engagement with the drive plate to cause the latch arm to pivot away from the ratchet pawl and release the ratchet pawl for engagement with the notched disc.

No references cited. 

